The present invention relates to a device and system providing for scuba tank transport over land and particularly to a system in which the device may remain connected to the scuba tank during diving.
Self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) comprises a cylindrical gas bottle. The cylinder generally has a circular cross section centered about a central axis. Scuba tanks having other cross sections have been provided in the prior art as well. Commonly, the gas bottle is made of steel. Aluminum gas bottles have also been provided. Generally, one end of the cylinder is substantially flat and an opposite end of the cylinder has a dome shape. The center of the dome has an internally threaded aperture that receives a valve assembly. The valve assembly includes an elongated nipple end that is coaxial with the cylinder's central axis and a valve extending through the nipple end mounted substantially normal to the central axis. The valve may include a regulator. Alternatively, the regulator may external to the scuba tank and be coupled to the valve. Air hoses and a mask are coupled to the valve assembly for use in underwater breathing. Scuba tanks are manufactured in a variety of standardized sizes.
A nominal weight for a scuba tank fully charged with air (or other oxygen-containing mixture) is 30 lbs. When the scuba tank is deployed underwater, the weight of the scuba tank is not of concern to a diver. Due to displacement of water, the weight felt by the diver is reduced. Also, divers need to wear weights to offset their own buoyancy. Consequently, the weight of the scuba tank does not adversely affect mobility of a diver in the water. However, on land, the full weight of the scuba tank must be supported. A user may wish to have a convenient way of transporting the scuba tank from one place to another, for example as from a parking lot to a boat marine on a dock, rather than having to carry the scuba tank. A user may need to transport a scuba tank across a parking lot, on a beach or along a dock, for example. Many prior art carriages have been provided for transporting a scuba tank. These carriages include dollies and hand trucks. These carriages are not normally assembled to the scuba tank when then tank is being transported to a diving area, e.g., in the trunk of a car. They must be removed from the scuba tank prior to diving.
Prior art carriages are generally stored in transport containers, e.g., car trunks, separately from the scuba tanks. If a the scuba tank is placed in the transport container by itself, the scuba tank is subject to rolling due to its circular cross section. Rolling of the scuba tank can cause damage to it or the container. One way to avoid rolling is by providing a separate device to prevent rolling or a separate box or other enclosure in to which to fit the scuba tank. Use of additional devices presents added inconvenience and expense in preventing the scuba tank from rolling.
When a diver reaches a destination, the scuba tank must be assembled to the carriage prior to transporting the scuba tank to a point at or near which the diver will enter the water. Then the scuba tank must be dissembled from the carriage.
The diver must then carry the tank from the place of disassembly from the carriage to the location at which the scuba tank will actually be donned. Divers will generally enter the water from a dock, a beach or a boat. They may find it very inconvenient to have to carry the scuba tank from a place of secure storage for a carriage to a water entry point. If they use the carriage to get to the water entry point, the must leave the carriage unattended while diving. Carriages left on a dock may provide an inconvenience or safety hazard to other users of the dock. There may be not article on the dock to which the carriage can be secured. In this case, the carriage could be used or removed by others while the diver is away from the dock. If entering the water from a beach, a diver would have to be able to return to the same spot on the beach from the water to find the carriage and avoid carrying the scuba tank over the beach. On some boats, lack of stowage space may result in great inconvenience in stowing the carriage. On a diving party boat, a number of carriages would have to be stowed, and divers would encounter the usual inconveniences associated with baggage retrieval to find their own carriages.
Carriages are not suited for remaining attached to the scuba tank during diving. Their dimensions create the potential for snagging should a swimmer pass through vegetation. Their shapes could project into a volume to be occupied by the body of a diver were they to be strapped to a diver's body.